Resource Management

The refuge is currently made up of alfalfa and hay fields, an old milking barn from when the site was home to Price’s Dairy (1920s to 1990s), and some residential structures that were previously used as staff housing. Eventually, these farm fields will be planted with native plants for the benefit of wildlife.

The restoration of native habitats will begin within the next few years with an expansion of the Bosque habitat into the refuge, the creation of wetlands and the regrowth of naturally occurring grasses and brushland. The different habitats within a small area will create rich opportunities for diverse wildlife viewing. In the meantime the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is in an agreement with a local farmer to continuously farm the land until habitat restoration efforts can begin.

Resource management efforts for the urban refuge will focus not only on restoring habitat for the benefit of wildlife, but creating opportunities to further the wildlife conservation mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

What We Do

An Oasis in Albuquerque

To date, 431 acres of
land along the Rio Grande have been protected for the new wildlife refuge,
including significant water rights to address restoration of the Middle Rio
Grande. The urban jewel will eventually encompass 570 acres, a place for
people to get outside and truly enjoy nature within their own community.